All Is Fair
by xMorbidxAngelx
Summary: - "Only The Dead Have Seen The End Of The War." - Plato
1. Chapter 1

"_**Older men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die."**_

_**Herbert Hoover -**_

**Cha****p****ter****One****: ****The****D****y****ing****Man's****Plea**

The field once green and lush with vegetation stood dry and barren in the fading light of day. Dust rose into the air as the wind blew the dry, dark soil high into the humid air. Cracks formed in the dry land and puddles of blood seeped into the cracks as the bodies of the dead and dying lay scattered across the dusty terrain for as far as the eye could see. Empty shells of what were once buildings gave the eerie scene a foreboding atmosphere against the blood red sunset on the horizon. Agonizing moans and groans of those on the verge of death sent chills down the spines of the passerby, the looks in the eyes of the men still with enough strength to raise their heads were sure to haunt minds for years to come. The sound of boots crunching over the dry soil broke the silence and all attention seemed to be fixed on the small group of people now standing on the edge of the field, surveying the scene with expressions of pity and shame. Time seemed to stand still and all movement came to a halt, even the vultures flying high above them seemed to falter in their constant circles at the appearance of the weary men.

At the front of the group stood a tall man, his uniform ripped, dusty and blood stained. As he looked out over the scene once more, he bowed his head in a silent prayer, his long silver hair falling over his face. Raising his head, the man issued orders to the men who promptly scattered throughout the field in search of those who could be saved. The silver haired man made his way towards one of the nearby buildings and peered through the window into the dark. Seeing nothing, he turned to look elsewhere when a soft sound reached his ears. A voice. A faint voice, but a voice nonetheless. He followed it until he came to another building, smaller than the others but not as ruined. The voice seemed to get louder the closer he came to the building. Cautiously, he peered through the doorway and saw a figure in a dark corner. Taking out his gun, he approached cautiously, making his presence known.

"Put the gun down, solider," a soft male voice said as its owner noticeably struggled for breath.

"Who are you?" the silver haired man demanded, lowering the gun slightly as he approached.

"Kenta Sasaki," the man paused as he tried in vain to fill his lung with precious air. "And you are?"

"Colonel Sesshoumaru Takahashi," came the response as the gun was lowered and replaced, hidden from sight.

There was silence as the two men looked at each other, respect for each other obvious in their eyes. It was then that Sesshoumaru's eyes were drawn to the other man's chest where a figure was hunched over him. The figure was so small that it could have been that of a child, but it shook so pitifully that it wrenched his heart just to look at it.

"I assume you were the help that was sent here?" the man asked, looking over the younger man's military uniform.

"Yes. We were delayed on out way and it seems our help is too late," Sesshoumaru looked away and out the door at the bodies littering the field.

"It seems everyone is dead."

"Not everyone," he said, nodding towards the man and the small figure crouched over him.

The older man chuckled slightly. "I am dying, colonel. There is no hope for me." He looked at the figure which had sat up at his words and lifted a shaky hand to caress the person's face tenderly. "Yes, child. This is the end for me. Cry not for me, I wish to see your smile just once more before my time comes."

Sesshoumaru felt somewhat awkward witnessing such a private scene and stepped back slightly. As he did so, his eyes widened as the figure revealed itself to be a young woman, only a few years younger than himself. A hood had been pulled up over her head, covering her face in shadow and what little of her face that could be seen was covered in dirt and streaked with tears. Suddenly, he felt pity for the girl well up within him and he quelled it quickly. Emotions were useless during such a situation, they could not help the man, could not take away the girl's pain.

"Colonel," the man wheezed, beckoning the tall man closer. "May I make a request of you?"

"Certainly."

"My daughter, please look after her."

Sesshoumaru looked at the man and nodded.

"My dearest daughter," the man turned misty eyes to the girl at his side with a weak smile. "Remember me with a smile and know that I will watch over you. The colonel will save you. Be thankful for his generosity."

That said, the man coughed once more and his eyes closed as his head fell limply to one side, his hand falling from its perch on the girl's cheek. There was a moment of silence as the pair stared at the now dead man before the reality of the situation struck home and tears fell down the girl's face, creating fresh trails through the dirt on her face. Silent tears turned to sobs before becoming wails of despair as she flung herself over the still form of her father. Knowing better than to interrupt such a scene, Sesshoumaru watched quietly until the wails had subsided into soft sobs. Moving over to the girl, he pulled her away from the corpse and held her shoulders, looking down into her dark eyes.

"I will do as he asked," he said quietly and she nodded silently. "We will give him a burial and then you will come with me."

Without another word, Sesshoumaru rose to his feet and pulled the girl out of the building, back towards the group of men assembled on the edge of the field.

"Find shovels, prepare a mass grave and one individual one," he said in a cold tone as he steered the girl towards one of the jeeps they had come in.

Seated on one of the front seats of the nearest jeeps, she watched the tall colonel search through the few bags that scattered the back of the vehicle. Her eyes widened as she saw him return with a flask and a chunk of bread which he pushed into her hands, watching her with soft eyes.

"Eat," he instructed. "Then we will bury your father."


	2. Chapter 2

"_**Preventing war is much better than protesting against the war. Protesting the war is too late."**_

_**Thich Nhat Hanh**_

**Chapter 2 ****– ****Introductions and New Beginnings**

True to his word, the colonel had stood by her as his men buried her father and patted her awkwardly on the back when she had unexpectedly turned and wept into his shirt, much to the amusement of all his men. One would've thought that considering the amount of female attention he got, he would know how to handle women. After burying the bodies scattered across the field and surrounding area, the colonel and his men along with the unknown girl, left and headed back to their base for further orders.

The girl had been travelling with the small group for nearly a week, but none of the men or their leader knew anything of the girl, not even her name. She had shied away from the attention any of the soldiers showed her, no matter how friendly, and sought solace in the company of the quiet silver haired man who had taken her in. He did not speak often, but when he did it was to ask after her well being. The young colonel did not pry for information, not even her name which had baffled his men. It was his opinion that she would speak when she was ready and he had enough patience to wait for that time. He was content knowing that she came to his side when afraid, it showed that she was beginning to trust him to look after her and that pleased him somewhat.

Finally, on the ninth day of travelling the approached the base and all the men had a spring in their step as they grew closer and closer to home. They were greeted with cheers from other men as they marched into the grounds where they were dismissed. Sesshoumaru knew that his first port of call should be his superior's office to report what had happened, but as he glanced at the girl beside him from the corner of his eye, he knew that he should see to her needs first. Sending a message to his superior, he led the girl towards the rooms he used at the base and ushered her inside.

Leaving her alone in his living room momentarily, he raided his wardrobe for something that would be appropriate to wear in the presence of high ranking officers. The girl was half asleep as she sat on his sofa waiting for him and she jumped to her feet when he did. She stared at the shirt and towel he handed her and allowed herself to be pushed into the bathroom. While she showered, Sesshoumaru did the most uncharacteristic thing imaginable. He washed and dried the girl's clothes. Normally his own washing was done for him, like most of the other officers, but the girl had nothing else to wear and she could not wander around the base dressed in only one of his shirts when so many men hovered in just about every corner of the buildings and grounds.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

An hour later, Sesshoumaru stood beside the unknown girl's chair in his superior's office. Predictably, his superior had not been pleased by his decision to delay his reprt and had been sceptical of his reasons, but now nodded in understanding as he looked at the meek girl currently examining the hands clenched on her lap with great interest.

"I'm glad you and your men returned in one piece, Colonel," the elderly man said as he leaned back in his chair and examined the younger man closely.

"I apologise for not reporting sooner, General Ashida," Sesshoumaru said in a emotionless tone.

"No matter," said General said and waved his hand dismissively. "Who is this young lady?"

"The only survivor from the village."

"I see."

There was a moment of silence as the elderly general looked at the girl speculatively. Sighing silently, he wondered what would happen to her now. She was quite young and probably had little experience with large numbers of people.

"What is your name, Miss?" the General asked in a gentle tone.

The girl's head shot up and her gaze met the General's as everyone in the room waited expectantly. The general almost smiled as he watched her open and close her mouth several times. You could almost see the wheels in her head turning as she thought. She looked almost scared and he pitied her. He was about to give up in defeat after a couple of minutes, thinking that she was a mute when she spoke.

"Rin Sasaki," she said in a quiet, hoarse voice.

"Welcome to our base," the general started. "I'm General Haruto Ashida. Do you mind answering some questions for us?"

Rin shook her head and the general smiled slightly before motioning for two people to come into the room. Soon, a tall man who looked remarkably like the colonel was standing on the general's right while a fearsome looking woman with blood red eyes stood to his left.

"This is Kagura Hagino, my assistant and Inuyasha Takahashi, the colonel's brother. This is Rin Sasaki, the only survivor from the village we sent the colonel to."

"Thank you, General," Kagura said respectfully. "We will take it from here."

Kagura looked over at Inuyasha and nodded before pulling out a clipboard and pen, settling herself in a seat near the girl. Rin twitched uncomfortably in her seat as she watched the two newcomers warily. She jumped slightly when a hand landed on her shoulder and she looked up to see Sesshoumaru looking down at her. The silent man nodded once encouragingly at her before returning his gaze to the front of the room where the general sat.

"Miss. Sasaki, you are from the village the Colonel was sent to, correct?" Inuyasha asked, his voice uncharacteristically stern.

"Yes," she all but whispered.

"Would you describe what happened please?"

Everyone watched the girl expectantly again. She had never spoken of what had happened and Sesshoumaru wondered if it was perhaps too early to ask her to speak of it when it clearly still hurt her, but he knew there was no choice. That information could be relevant to preventing such an incident happening again. Rin sighed and clenched her hands in the soft material of her newly washed skirt.

"They surrounded the village in big trucks," she murmured. "Then men slowly came into the village over the following days."

"So this took place over a series of days, not just one?" Inuyasha asked.

Rin nodded. "Three days." She shuddered as she remembered what happened. "At first they killed the livestock and then burnt down the barns. They got braver when they realised there was no military protection for us. On the second day they ambushed the workers in the fields and then proceeded to slaughter anyone they came across as they made their way into the centre of the village on the last day."

"How did you survive?" Inuyasha asked, now getting curious.

"My father saved me," she said as tears welled up in her eyes and silently rolled down her cheeks. "The soldiers threw grenades into building as they passed and one came threw our window. My father got us out, but his legs were crushed by rubble from the explosion. I managed to drag him to an abandoned building on near the fields. The Colonel found us minutes before he died."

"The Colonel says your father had suffered extensive injuries," Kagura spoke up.

"We met soldiers on the way. They attacked my father and threatened to kill me."

"I think this information will do for the moment," Kagura spoke again, addressing the General as she noted Rin's clearly distressed state.

"Very well," the elderly man nodded and looked at Sesshoumaru. "We will arrange somewhere for the young lady to stay before setting her up in the city…"

"No," the younger man interrupted, surprising everyone including himself. "She was put under my protection and she will stay with me."

"You can't honour every dying man's wish, Sesh," Inuyasha said softly, dropping the formalities.

"No, but I can and will honour this one."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

After their meeting with General Ashida, Sesshoumaru had led Rin back to his rooms. What Inuyasha said was true, but Rin was still very much alive and there was something about her that made him want to keep his promise to her father. She was a mysterious girl, but seeing as she had only just rediscovered the power of speech, he supposed a bit of mystery was to be expected.

"We will stay here tonight," he as he pushed her gently towards the bed.

She was dressed in his shirt once again and it looked almost like a dress as she sat down cautiously on the edge of the bed. The slightly awed look on her face suggested that she was not used to such comfort and Sesshoumaru nearly smiled at her. As the look of awe turned to one of happiness as she looked around her, he had to admit that she was endearing. He coughed as he realised that such thoughts were not appropriate.

"We will stay here tonight," he repeated, turning away from her to exit the room. "Then we travel to my home tomorrow. Good night."

She looked up hastily as he started to leave. "Wait!"

"Yes?" he inquired, turning to look at her in confusion.

"Where are you going?" the look in her eyes showed fear.

"I'm leaving you to get some sleep."

"D-Don't go," her voice broke as she spoke. "Don't leave me."

"You want me to stay here?" Rin nodded. "In this room?" She nodded again and he sighed. "Very well."

Rin watched curiously from her perch on his bed as he proceeded to make a bed on the floor beside the bed. Tilting her head to one side, she continued to watch as Sesshoumaru silently settled himself on the makeshift bed, putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes.

Sighing to herself, she crawled beneath the covers and curled up on her side, inhaling his scent deeply. It was a masculine scent that seemed to wrap itself around her senses and soothe her weary body and aching heart. She opened her eyes and looked at the man on the floor, smiling to herself slightly. If anyone could protect her, it was definitely this man. The handsome colonel seemed to have taken on the task of looking after he willingly and her smile grew as she remembered him refusing to have her taken away earlier in the general's office. Rin examined his features and found herself captivated by how good looking he was and he seemed far too young to be a colonel, although her knowledge of good looking men and military ranking systems were limited to the conversations she'd had with men passing through the village. With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off to sleep, knowing that she was no longer alone.


	3. Chapter 3

"_**Never has there been a good war or a bad peace."**_

_**Benjamin Franklin**_

**Chapter 3**

Rin had been staying at Sesshoumaru's home for nearly two weeks and he had decided to take his long overdue vacation to make sure that she settled in properly, although he would never admit that. Instead, he would claim that he needed rest from his busy schedule. His home was a two bedroom apartment on the top floor of a large building on the outskirts of the nearest city to the military base. Since that first night at the military base, she had insisted on being close to him at night and Sesshoumaru decided to change his study into a bedroom for Rin since it was beside his own. What had been the second bedroom on the other side of the apartment would then become his study and he found himself liking this arrangement a lot more than the previous one.

From an outsider's point of view, Rin had settled in very well and had adjusted to her new life easily, but in reality, that was far from true. Sesshoumaru's habit of working until the small hours meant that he understood just how troubled the girl was. He had realised one night when he had been walking past her bedroom to go to bed and had heard a soft sound. Unsure what its cause was, he pushed her door open quietly and listened. Silence met his ears and just as he was about to close the door and go to bed, he heard a soft whimper and his eyes were drawn to the bed where Rin's tiny form had started tossing and turning violently. He sighed and leaned against the door frame watching as he always did to make sure she did no harm to herself. Watching until she fell silent, Sesshoumaru turned and went to bed wondering if she was just a restless sleeper or if she was suffering from nightmares. Probably the latter considering what she had been through.

Many times he had had to wake her up and although it didn't particularly bother him, he worried what the effect was on the girl. She rarely spoke and it was difficult to try to understand what she was thinking or feeling. However, the pair got along well. He had only a few more days left of vacation and Sesshoumaru wondered what she would do when he had to return to work. Would she find somewhere else to go? Would she stay? Despite himself, the young colonel found himself wishing it was the latter though he could not explain why.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Those days passed quickly and soon, he found himself standing on his doorstep, about to leave. The last thing he had expected was Rin to emerge from her room, fully dressed and fresh out of the shower. He nodded a greeting at her which she returned as she passed him and walked into the kitchen, returning moments later with a packed lunch which she handed him.

"Thank you," he said, eyes wide in surprise. She smiled and he coughed slightly, trying to hide his fluster. "I'll be going now," he said gruffly.

"Have a good day," she said quietly as she stood behind him, still smiling softly.

As he drove towards the base, Sesshoumaru reflected on the morning's events. Normally, he never bothered taking food with him. There was food available at the base although it wasn't very good, but he was usually too busy to eat. Or perhaps he made himself busy so he didn't have to eat the food? He didn't know. But he did know that the scene as he left the house had a definite domestic air to it and he was surprised that he didn't find that as repulsive as he normally would have.

Hours later, he sat in the cafeteria with a mug of steaming coffee. Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose slightly as he drank it; even the coffee wasn't very good. A tray of food suddenly slammed down in front of him and Inuyasha dropped down into the seat behind it. Inuyasha grinned as he saw the packed lunch sitting beside his brother's mountains of papers.

"A packed lunch?" he asked in a teasing tone. "That's not like you."

"Rin made it."

"You're so lucky!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "I wish Kagome would make them for me."

"Ask her to."

"She might hit me again. Kagome's pregnant you know, she's dangerous right now."

"I know."

"When are you going to get married, Sesh?" he asked suddenly.

"When I feel like it."

"Obviously! You need a girl first though. Have you got a girl?"

"That is none of your business."

"You don't, huh? You don't know what you're missing, Sesh!"

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Over the next few days, Sesshoumaru thought about what Inuyasha had said. Perhaps it was time to start thinking about the future; he could not remain in his current position forever. Not to mention his parents would probably force him into a marriage if he remained alone for too long. The threat of an arranged marriage had hung over his head from a young age – one of the joys of coming from a wealthy family. Eventually, he gave up thinking about the whole idea. If he was meant to find someone then no doubt he would in due course.

A week after he started work, he returned home late one evening and was stunned as he looked around him. The place was spotlessly clean. The wooden floor gleamed in the light and all the tables shone so much he swore he could see his reflection in one of them. Walking into the kitchen, he found several plates on the table and he lifted their covers only to see steaming food beneath. Had Rin done this? Immediately, he was at her bedroom door, knocking softly before entering. The girl lay atop the covers, a book open on her lap but her eyes closed as she slept peacefully. With a sigh, he walked towards her and draped his coat over her as he placed the book on the table beside the bed.

Sesshoumaru couldn't help but smile at her as he sat down on the edge of the bed. She was a dear girl, always trying to help and she had indeed helped him a lot since her arrival here. Were it not for her, he would still not eat properly during the day or at night, but she always had some food prepared for him. Gently, he lifted a hand to caress her face and was stunned when sighed softly as she nuzzled against his hand, a smile crossing her face as she did so. He was not a great believer in fate and such things, but maybe just this once he would allow himself to believe that he had been destined to meet this girl.

He had come to care for the girl although they had known each other only about two months. Somehow, Rin had wormed her way into his cold heart and had begun to warm it. Sesshoumaru wished that she would speak more, but he supposed she would in time. This girl was one of the few people whose company he enjoyed and he discovered that he did not wish her to leave. As he gazed down at the sleeping woman, he suddenly felt the urge to take her in his arms and never let go, but instead, he ran is thumb over her lips softly before withdrawing his hand and leaving her to sleep.

Sesshoumaru had the next day off and when he woke up, he decided that he would take this time to try to get to know Rin. He looked up when there was a knock at his door and found Rin standing there looking nervous. Shyly, she looked up at him and smiled slightly, mentioning that breakfast was ready. He watched her walk away and found himself noticing the sway of her hips and shook his head. It was too early to be thinking such thoughts.

They sat at the table eating breakfast in silence and once again, Sesshoumaru found himself noticing things about her that he had not noticed before, or maybe had not taken the time to notice. Her back was almost ramrod straight as she sat at the table and her long fingers curled gracefully around the chopsticks she held. It surprised him that a girl who had clearly never been out of her village had such impeccable manners. Her behaviour and manners rivalled that of the women he knew who had such things drilled into them from a young age.

"Rin," he asked, as she looked up from her meal. "How old are you?"

"20," she replied instantly. "How old are you, Colonel?"

"Sesshoumaru," he corrected and she blinked.

"Sesshoumaru," she repeated and smiled shyly again.

"I am 25."

He watched her nod and return to her meal. Her quick response gave him hope that she would soon talk without being prompted. Quietly, Rin cleared away the dishes and washed them.

"Will you be working today?" she asked suddenly as she dried her hands.

"Not today."

Rin smiled at this and nodded again before following him into the living room and picking up her book. Sesshoumaru was slightly disappointed that she didn't seem to want to continue their conversation, but it suddenly struck him that it wasn't common for a woman from such a small village to be able to read. Unless she travelled to another town to learn.

"How did you learn to read, Rin?" he asked, looking at her curiously.

"A soldier taught me," she replied and instantly blushed, arousing his suspicion.

"Why do you blush?"

"The books he read were… uh… not appropriate to be left lying around."

Instantly, Sesshoumaru understood and inwardly smirked. Only a soldier would teach someone to read with only that as reading material. He noted that the book she was currently reading was from his own bookshelf and was about different types of tanks, a reminder from his student days. Rin seemed engrossed in it though he could not think why. Most women had frowned at his choice in books.

"Do you enjoy that book?" She nodded. "Why?"

"I'm learning," she smiled.

"You want to learn about tanks?" he asked, perplexed.

"Not only about tanks."

He beckoned her over to sit beside him and pulled a large book out of the bottom of the book shelf. Cautiously she sat down beside him and looked at the book with wide eyes as he spread it across his lap and opened the dusty pages. The pages were filled with various notes and sketches and she started to smile as her eyes ran over the pages.

"This is a project I did when I was younger," he said quietly as he turned the pages, each one bringing back a memory. "It's about the most famous planes and tanks used during war."

Rin gasped in surprise when he pushed it onto her lap. Sesshoumaru leaned back against the sofa and lit a cigarette, exhaling smoke as he watched her turn back to the beginning to start reading, looking like a child on Christmas morning. Watching her, he found himself captivated by the way her expressions changed so quickly. She frowned as she read notes on one particular plane and ran her finger along the lines of the drawing. The pair sat in silence for a while, each content with the other's proximity, before Sesshoumaru eventually leaned toward her and looked over her shoulder.

"Is it interesting?" he asked.

"Very," she murmured in response, blushing slightly at how much closer he was to her than before.

Once again, the pair lapsed into silence. Rin didn't move from her seat beside him and some part of Sesshoumaru was grateful that she didn't. Her presence was oddly comforting. With a vague smile, he picked up a book and also began reading, intending to enjoy this peaceful time with her.

After a couple of hours, Sesshoumaru felt a weight drop to his shoulder and looked up. It seemed that while was content to read, Rin had fallen asleep and as now curled up against his side, her tiny hands wrapped around his arm. Sighing softly, he disentangled himself from her and pulled her closer, resting her head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her before continuing to read. He felt perfectly content as he sat there with Rin in his arms and wished the moment would last forever.


	4. Chapter 4

"_**Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime."**_

_**Ernest Hemmingway**_

**Chapter 4**

Rin woke up to find herself pressed closely against something warm and firm. She felt so comfortable that she didn't want to open her eyes, but was curious about where she was. Slowly, her eyes opened and focused on the figure above her. She blinked her eyes as she recognised the sleeping face of the colonel. His face looked calm and at ease as he slept, making her smile at the sight but the smile faded from her face as she realised how close they were. Rin was debating whether she should stay where she was or not when the arm around her waist moved. Sesshoumaru slid down the sofa and pulled her against him as he wrapped the other arm around her. As she was pulled closer, she decided that staying in place was the better choice.

About an hour later, Sesshoumaru woke up and pulled the object in his arms closer, enjoying the feel of the feminine body against him. His eyes snapped open as he realised the body was feminine. He didn't remember inviting any woman round before falling asleep which meant that there was only one possibility as to who the woman who. Wanting to confirm his suspicions, he turned to look at the face that lay beside his own. Wide brown eyes stared back into his own amber orbs showing a mixture of confusion and happiness. He knew that he should let her go, stand up and walk away. A relationship would only complicate matters, but his limbs refused to cooperate. He sat up, still not letting go of her, and stared into her eyes as she sat still across his lap, her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"Rin…" he started and then stopped, realising he didn't know what to say.

She smiled at him gently and he felt his heart warm up at the sight of it. Sesshoumaru had been about to push her away but then she smiled and that smile changed everything. Her eyes widened slightly as he leaned towards her and pushed her back gently onto the sofa. One of his hands ran through her hair, savouring the feeling of it, as the other ran up her body to rest at her waist. Instinctively, she tightened the grip on his shoulders as she felt his lips touch hers gently and her eyes fluttered shut. She had little experience in matters of romance, but somehow, she knew that Sesshoumaru cared for her on some level, whether he realised it or not.

Moments later, Sesshoumaru shook his head. It was not proper to do this. Not here on the sofa and definitely not now when they knew so little about each other. With great difficulty, he pulled away from her luscious lips and looked down at her flushed face with a vague smile. Rin opened her eyes as she felt herself being pulled up into a sitting position. Sesshoumaru sat beside her, an arm around her waist, holding her close, and a tender look in his normally expressionless eyes. She blinked and tilted her head in confusion.

"I can't, Rin," he whispered as he pulled her into an embrace and buried his face in the crook of her neck. "I know so little of you. It would feel like taking advantage of you."

Rin didn't know what to say and wondered if she would be able to speak even if she had known what words to speak in such a situation. Her mind was in confusion and thought flew past at high speed. Unable to comprehend fully what was going on, she frowned slightly. He wanted her and yet he pushed her away? Was she not good enough? Was it because she wasn't sophisticated like him? Her frown turned to a grimace. She should have known that brief moment of bliss was too good to last.

Sesshoumaru felt her start to pull away slightly and immediately tightened his hold on her. He may have stopped before getting carried away, but he had no intention of letting her go. Her soft feminine body fit perfectly against his and just a touch of her silky skin was enough to send him wild with desire.

"Talk to me, Rin," he whispered again, nuzzling her neck as he did so. "Tell me what you're feeling about now, about everything that's happened."

She paused her fruitless attempts to pull away and pondered his words. How did she feel? At the moment, she was ecstatic about being in his arms, but confused about why he pushed her away. How did she feel about everything that had happened? Tears welled up in her eyes for the first time since leaving the remains of her village. Sesshoumaru was surprised when she flung her arms around his neck and even more surprised when he felt tears hit his shoulder. He pulled back instantly, cupping her face as silent tears cascaded down her face. Those tears told him everything he needed to know. The girl was very clever at hiding her emotions, he had no idea she had been hurting this badly.

"Hush," he said softly and kissed her forehead, lifting her chin as he did so. "I cannot replace your father, nor would I want to, but I promise I won't leave. I'll stay by your side as long as you want me."

Suddenly, Rin felt no need to cry. The pain of her loss was great, but the happiness she felt as she heard those words quelled the pain. As long as she remembered her father, he was not gone; there was no need to dwell on his death. She remembered him telling her to remember her mother with a smile when she had died and now, she intended to do the same for him. Looking up at Sesshoumaru, she knew this man was her future and smiled at him; a genuine smile that made him slightly breathless.

"Forever," she whispered as she dried her eyes on the handkerchief he handed her.

He smiled at that. "So be it."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

That day was forever going to be engraved in her memory and Rin smiled every time she thought of it. It had been a week since that day and Sesshoumaru had returned to work, much to her disappointment. She found herself talking more and more with each passing day they spent together and her happiness grew day by day. Since that day, everything seemed to have changed. In the mornings when she gave him the lunch she prepared for him, he would kiss her cheek softly and smile slightly before leaving. At night when he returned, he would enclose her in his protective embrace and hold her until sleep took one, or both, of them.

As she thought about it, Rin realised that things hadn't really progressed much further than that, but she supposed there was good reason for this. They still used separate bedrooms despite their new closeness. She found herself glad of that, a blush coloured her cheeks every time she considered sharing the same bed with the handsome colonel. Not that she didn't want to, she was simply unaccustomed to all thing related to romance.

The sound of the door opening caught her attention and she peered through the doorway into the living room. Sesshoumaru was striding through the living room towards her and she smiled happily when he wrapped his arms around her. In a swift motion, he swept her off her feet and carried her to the sofa where she found herself sitting on his lap. Rin wrapped her arms around his neck as he buried his face in her neck and ran her fingers gently through his soft hair.

"How was work?" she asked softly.

"Fine."

"Do you want something to eat?"

"No."

"Are you sure? Dinner's almost ready."

There was no response and he tightened his grip on her slightly. She frowned slightly, he wasn't normally so unresponsive. Pushing him away, she cupped his face in her tiny hands and looked into his amber eyes with a frown, not really knowing what she was looking for. While she tried to search his eyes for some clue about his behaviour, Sesshoumaru's eyes wandered over her face. There was an unreadable look in her eyes and her pursed lips looked so kissable that he found himself unable to resist.

Rin's eye widened in surprise when he suddenly leaned forward and captured her lips and proceeded to coax her into opening her mouth. When the need for air became too great, they separated and she stared at him, he had never done that before. His kisses had always been chaste and now it felt like he would devour her. It felt delicious and she wanted more.

Sesshoumaru watched the look in her eyes change from confusion to something mischievous and he smirked. It was then, as he ran his hands down her sides that he realised how short her dress was and that discovery made him smirk even more. He shifted, running a hand down to tug over leg over him so that she straddled him. Rin blushed at their proximity as Sesshoumaru brought them close again, but sighed happily when he captured her mouth. A brief fear that he would stop again ran through her mind, but he had no intention of stopping this time.

Strong masculine hands ran down her body to her thighs and Rin shivered at the feeling. Slowly, the hands moved back upwards, beneath her dress until they reached her hips where they stopped. Sesshoumaru pulled back and looked her directly in the eye.

"I want you," he whispered and she smiled.

"You can have me."

That was all he needed and his hands gripped the fabric of her dress, pulling it up and over her head. His eyes followed the slight bounce of her full breasts and pulled her in for another kiss, a large hand cupping one breast in his hand. She gasped as the new feeling before relaxing into his touch. After a moment, she sat back on his knees and looked at him, her head tilted to one side. Sesshoumaru frowned slightly at the loss of contact, but found the view of her from here was far more pleasing. His hands rose to cup her breasts, but she pushed them aside with a smile as she began to unbutton his shirt. One of his hands rose and held hers gently as the other cupped her face.

"Rin, are you sure?" he asked, staring into her eyes.

"Very."

He grinned at her then, causing her to look at him in surprise. She had never seen him grin before. Sesshoumaru let go of her hands and put his hands under her legs and held her closely against him as he stood up. Rin squeaked in surprise and hastily grabbed his shoulders, fearing she would fall. Moments later, she found herself being lowered onto Sesshoumaru's bed and surrounded by his scent. She smiled at him as he towered above her and watched with a blush as he discarded his shirt before turning off the light and joining her on the bed.

Sesshoumaru pulled the covers over them and pulled her semi-naked form against him, sighing contentedly against her hair. After a moment, he lifted her chin to kiss her hungrily.

"Rin, you are mine now," he said protectively as she looked into her eyes.

"I am yours," she whispered.

He lowered his head and kissed her once more as his hands roamed over her body. Rin closed her eyes and surrendered to the sensations that raced through her body. She had been right when she thought this man was her future and if this was a preview of what the future held for her, she couldn't wait to start her life with Sesshoumaru.


	5. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

Thank you for all the reviews of both this story and Cupid's Arrows. They're greatly appreciated **:)**

Anyhow, there will definitely be a sequel to Cupid's Arrows and I'm considering one for this story as well. Unfortunately, I'm not going to have access to a computer for the next few weeks, so there won't be any updates to unfinished stories or any sequels for a while **:( ** However, if anyone has any suggestions for the sequels or corrections for any existing ones, please leave me a message and I'll have a look at them as soon as I can get to a computer **:)**

Once again, thank you for all your reviews **:)**

_**xMorbidxAngelx**_


End file.
